Back Story Newsletter
Good morning,
Ukraine And Europe
The Maidan Uprising, was a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began on 21 November 2013 with large protests Independence Square in Kyiv. The protests were sparked by the Ukrainian government's sudden decision not to sign the European Union association agreement.
Ukraine’s thirst to be part of the European Union would end with violent clashes with police, and the Moscow backed President Victor Yanikovich would be forced to flee. And this ushered in Russia’s invasion of the Crimea, and the beginning of it’s proxy war in the Donbas.
So in that context, the promises made now by France, and Germany and Italy to support Ukraines membership in the EU is more than symbolic. It is the pledge of a long term economic life line to Ukraine, and a message to Russia and it’s leader Vladimir Putin, Ukraine is part of Europe and won’t be defeated by this war.
This comes ahead of a meeting later today where leaders of the European Union will give their fast-tracked opinion on Ukraine’s membership bid.
The promise of EU fast track membership was made yesterday in Ukraine by the leaders of France, Germany and Italy, and Romania as they toured the ruins of war around Kyiv visibly moved by what they had seen.
Germany’s Chancellor Scholtz: "Irpin like Bucha has become a symbol of unimaginable cruelty of Russian war and senseless violence"
France’s Macron:"There has been massacre and war crimes. It’s a heroic city marked by barbarism"
Italy’s Draghi:"We'll rebuild everything".
And Germany and France have promised to moved more weapons more quickly to Ukraine.
Reaction from Moscow came from an increasingly crude and crass Putin ally and fill-in President Dmitry Medvedev, who this week has threatened Ukraine won’t exist in two years.
"European connoisseurs of frogs, liver and pasta love to visit Kyiv. The benefits are zero. They promised accession to the EU again, the old howitzers, drink vodka and by the train, like a hundred years ago - go home. And everything is ok. But this does not bring Ukraine closer to peace. And the clock is ticking…,” Medvedev wrote.
On Back Story w/Dana Lewis later today, we will talk a lot about the war in Ukraine and what’s happening on the ground. But we are at a critical turning point for a few reasons;
-Russia is making forward progress in the Donbas east, but it’s army may be close to collapse or is at least largely spent
-the notion the war can end in talks now is far fetched. The only way Russia will withdraw is to be beaten on the ground
-Ukraine will gain combat ability with key weapon shipments arriving in the next month and may soon beat back Russian gains
-the longer that war takes the harder it will be to dislodge Russia from lands it has seized and is now digging in to possibly annex
-so there is a renewed sense of equip Ukraine and help fight it to win the ground war because only victory in Ukraine will stop Russia from advancing into other neighbouring countries and Putin intends to destroy the country
In this atmosphere of do or die in Ukraine, Europe is talking about more critical sanctions on Russia including a more compressed phase out of Russia gas imports which are funding Putin’s army.
And even Macron has stopped talking about allowing Putin to ‘save face’ in his war in Ukraine. The larger fight for Europe against Russian invaders is well under way.
Dana Lewis